Pass Along Your Blessing

~ morning coffee ~

Someone sent the following story to me and I've revised it a bit...

"I sat with a friend in a high-class coffee shop in a small town near Venice, Italy. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, "Two cups of coffee, one of them on the wall." We heard this order with some interest and observed that he was served with only one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter pasted a piece of paper on the wall with the words, "A Cup of Coffee."

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, "Two on the table and one on the wall, please." They drank two cups of coffee but paid for three and then left. This time, the waiter did the same; the piece of paper he pasted on the wall said, "A Cup of Coffee."

It seemed this gesture was normal at this place but something unique and perplexing for us. Since we had nothing to do with the matter, we finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

After a few days, we happened to visit this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man entered. He was dressed in a manner that did not match the standard nor the atmosphere of the coffee shop. Poverty was evident from the look on his face and his clothing. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, "One cup of coffee from the wall, please." The waiter served a coffee to him with the customary respect and dignity. 

The man drank his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this when we also noticed the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it into the trash. Then it dawned on us! The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town welled our eyes with tears.

Coffee is not a need of society, nor a necessity of life. The point is when we take pleasure in any blessing, maybe we also need to think about those people who appreciate that specific blessing as much as we but they cannot afford to have it.

Note the character of the waiter who, with a smile on his face, played a consistent and generous role to facilitate the communication between the affording and the needy. Ponder upon the man in need. He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem. He has no need to beg for a free cup of coffee. He only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left. The wall reflects the generosity and care of the town dwellers who show compassion and allow not so fortunate others to maintain human dignity."

There's a "movement" afoot called Random Acts of Kindness and this week is RAK Week. Have you heard of it? I'm of two minds about this...the first being, isn't it wonderful and the second being, how sad we have a website and a week devoted to random acts of kindness. When I was growing up, amidst the unicorns and dinosaurs, smile there was no such thing as "random acts of kindness" because that was simply how people lived their lives. I couldn't begin to count the numbers of times Daddy stopped to change someone's tire, Mom sent money to a missionary, Daddy cut, delivered and stacked a load of firewood for a widow, Mom cooked and delivered a meal to someone in need and the list goes on and on and on... . It was love in action because we were Christians and we did as Christ asked. Regarding RAK, it is at times like this and every other second as well that I miss Dave so dreadfully. He would explain to me why RAK begun in the first place and now has a week of celebration and doing. 

When did we get away from helping each other? When did it become a "national holiday"? And, the more important question...WHY? For you folks who are naturally nice, you may stop reading now but for the rest of us, I ask you to consider...every day, pay a complete stranger a compliment. If you get a chance to pass along a blessing, do it. There doesn't need to be fanfare or firecrackers going off. Do it for the pleasure it gives someone else...and you. Do it to lighten someone's burden. Do it because one day someone will do it for you. Do it because it's the right thing. Karma, what goes around comes around and, my favorite, cast your bread upon the water. Do you want good, nourishing bread or moldy bread? Easy answer, don't you think? 

Pass Along Your Blessing, as soon as possible and as much as possible. God can't bless someone with clenched hands. God bless you, yours and the works of your hands and heart.

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein ~

Today's Miracles ~ hot cup of coffee ~ kindness in action ~ compassion ~ respect, shown to everyone ~ quiet dignity ~ Pass Along Your Blessing ~

License to Chill

~ coffee cubes ~

Joining Ann Kroeker for Food Fridays...
Some may remember when I posted about making iced coffee and using coffee cubes. I dislike waste, although am as guilty as the next, but one way I found of being thrifty is making coffee cubes from left over coffee. Dave was a coffee drinker...make that a Coffee Drinker! He loved the stuff and would drink a pot, or more, every day. Invariably, there would always be a bit left over and I hated pouring it down the drain or on the ground. So, when I found these cute little ice cube trays on sale for, maybe fifty cents, I would pour the coffee into the trays, set them in the freezer and a while later, iced coffee! Generally, I use decaff coffee to make my iced coffee as I don't want, or need,   the extra caffeine? I like to sleep at night! -smile-

Do you like flavored coffee? For me, it's the best and easiest way to drink coffee. The Starbucks in the photo is a bag of coffee beans someone gave us. I save these beans for when they come to visit as it's a French Roast and much too strong for my stomach. I also like flavored cream but stopped drinking it when I, finally, got around to reading the ingredients. My motto is, if I can't pronounce it, I'm not sure I want to drink or eat it. Nestle got smart and now sells "Natural Bliss"; it's milk, cream, sugar, flavoring. I know some will decry the use of sugar but ,as little sugar as I use, I don't think it hurts.


Just recently, someone asked for a recipe but I'm one of those people who use a recipe only as a suggestion. In other words, I usually wing it. Hey, I've got five...count 'em...FIVE dogs and there are no mistakes in the kitchen; only happy accidents! So, my "recipe" for iced coffee is make a twelve cup pot of decaff coffee, let it cool and pour in a bottle of Natural Bliss creamer. Put some coffee cubes in a tall glass, pour the coffee over the cubes and enjoy. For once in life, it's easy and simple! Plus delicious smile. Sometimes I'll even eat store bought cookies...gasp! LOL

Yesterday morning I received a telephone call from Ashley; she's the wife of our Assistant Fire Chief. An up the valley neighbor's house was on fire, could I go? Yes, of course, although I was filthy from hoeing thistles, chasing calves and doing general farm work. All this, mind, before 11 in the morning! 

~ tamping down the flames ~

Mrs. Webb, her sixty year old daughter and a grand-daughter were sitting on the front porch when Mrs. Webb thought she smelled smoke. She went into the house to investigate and saw smoke coming from the second floor. She hustled her daughter off the porch and, in short order, firemen had responded to the call. Folks, this was a SIX ALARM FIRE! As you can see, it's a total loss; Mrs. Webb and her daughter got out with the clothes on their backs. Mrs. Webb didn't have time to grab her insulin medication or anything else and the daughter is special needs, mentally retarded. Mr. Webb, the father and husband, passed away earlier this year.

~ near the end ~

The Red Cross will put them up for three days, not the five days as I originally thought, and will give them a clothing allowance. Once again, the community is pulling together to give assistance in the form of household goods, clothing, food and finding shelter. Our local television station, about 35 miles away but local for us smile, is WVVA and they did a story on the fire. If you click on the link and look for "fire destroys a Tazewell County home" you'll see the interview. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph's reporter, Greg Jordan, did an excellent story and impressed me a great deal and then he called me twice last night to fact check! Now, there's a reporter who knows his business! If you read his report, you'll get more information and a better idea of what this family is up against.

Generally, I handle traffic and, since I'm in the road anyway, stop drivers, tell them a short version of what's happening and ask for a donation. Yesterday, people gave over $200 and that will be delivered today, when I go to town for errands. People are kind and want to help; asking them for specific help gives them a purpose and helps those in need. 

I'm so proud of our community! Ms. Shepherd, at the nearest convenience store, gave cases of bottled water so our firemen could quench their enormous thirst. Daniel Ingram, owner of Stanley Steemer, bought extra water for the same purpose; donations are being accepted at Crab Orchard Vet on Main Street. People rallied knowing "...to whom much is given, much is required...". Like Mother Teresa said, "if you can't feed a hundred, feed one." Don't allow yourself to become overwhelmed like me sometimes of the enormous needs of people. Focus on doing what you can do for the one before you and don't forget to ask God's blessings on the work of your hands and heart. Our Father hears the prayers of a righteous woman and man and if you've accepted His Son as your Savior, you're a righteous woman. 

Sobering thought, eh? 

Blessings ~ iced coffee ~ coffee cubes ~ water ~ firefighters ~ reporters ~ volunteers ~